Moving from US to UK with Lupus

[Iris365]

Hello everyone! I was diagnosed with Lupus last year, but since then my health has been stable and my family and I are looking to take a job opportunity in the UK. From doing a little research on the LupusUK website I see that there are many great physicians I can turn to, but I was wondering how prescriptions are handled in the UK. Are they expensive? (The website said 8.80 a perscription?) Can I easily get my prescriptions transferred from here to there? I am currently taking levothyroxine sodium, plaquenil, and cellcept. Any help or information will be helpful before we decide to move forward with this. Thank you so much in advance.

[Penguintaz]

Hey Iris,

Bring a copy of your prescription and a doctors letter explaining what they treat if you can, you'll then need to register whith a GP surgery (or go private) once you have moved here. I don't know the process in depth in regards to moving countries but I hope the information is avalible online

Yes there is a prescription charge of 8.80 per item! Gets expensive very quickly if you have more than one per month.

I'm not a hundred percent sure how it works when moving to the uk but once you are here you can look at a pre-payment certificate online.

You either do a one off payment per year (140 pounds I belive) or pay that split in 12 month payment as. It is valid for a year and is great value for money if you get two or over medications per month.

[Iris365 in reply to Penguintaz]

Thank you very much! That is helpful. when it says 8.80 per item does that mean the item is 1 prescription med enough for one month? Registering to a GP surgery- is that just registering to see a regular practitioner?

[Penguintaz in reply to Iris365]

I have seen some other lovely helpful replays But to answer, generally yes your doctor/ whoever is in charge of your care will give enough medicine for a month unless there's special exceptions, like your going away or unable to get out the house for long periods of time.

Regiristing to a surgery just means they'll be your regulars, the doctors that you see there will probably be varied! I imagine you'll also be put under a rheumatologist and any letters he sends a copy will also be sent to them. If you need any emergency/ hospital care it won't matter where you go the nearest hospital will treat you (unless they don't have the facilities to)

[Purpletop in reply to Iris365]

My GP usually gives me enough for 2 months per drug, each drug dispensed at any one time (whether for 1 month or 2 months) costs £8.80.

[MaCoBu]

Hello Iris,

I’m an expatriate American who has been in the UK for 15 years. I was diagnosed here in December with Lupus, after a couple of years of illness.

When we came, we gained access to the NHS immediately — at no cost. But the policy has changed since then. Free access to non-emergency treatment depends upon your settled status. You may want to look into that. It is possible you would have to pay for treatment — although the prices are likely to be much lower than you would expect in the US.

On arrival, ask around among the people you meet which would be the best GP practice in your area. There is sometimes flexibility in which one you choose, and there can be big differences.

Good luck in your move!

[Iris365 in reply to MaCoBu]

Thank you very much! That is definitely something to look up and consider

[Iris365]

Yes I also have hashimoto's. So the levothyroxine may be free. It not my two others for lupus, correct? We are looking at Molesworth to possibly move.

[Iris365]

Wow! I would assume just the levo would be free. Thank you for your help!

[AgedCrone]

I don't know where you are in USA, but the UK has consulates throughout the US where you could get up to date information.

If you are going to be employed by a UK company they would normally make arrangements for health insurance as part of your employment contract & you would have to make a health declaration to whichever company they use.

[Iris365 in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you!

[Susiemarden]

I get all my prescription free as I take medicine for an underactive thyroid x

[pauletruth]

nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSs...